Why Barefoot Doesn’t Work For Horses

Wait… what did I just say? I’m a natural trimmer, right? And I love keeping horses barefoot… right??

Before you run away… read on.

It’s not about the fact that “barefoot doesn’t work” its about the fact that it doesn’t work the way we sometimes want it to work. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve received calls from clients who want their horse to be transitioned to barefoot. BUT they don’t want to change anything about the horses diet, lifestyle, footing, work environment.. or trim frequency. If I expected to lose 50 pounds just by going to a different doctor BUT wasn’t willing to change what I ate, how I ate, how often I worked out, what I did for workouts, what I drank, or take any supplements people would think I was insane. For some reason though, people sometimes expect to pull horseshoes off, trim the hoof, and ride off into the sunset (on a gravel road) as if nothing ever happened. It takes time, patience, willingness to change, and a good working relationship between trimmer and owner.

“Horses are meant to be barefoot. It’s the unnatural ways in which we manage them that make them unable to do so. If we provide the most natural lifestyle we can for our horses, they can develop and maintain naturally healthy hooves. But it’s also going to take some effort on our part.

We have to look at the whole horse if we want barefoot to work–especially his diet and lifestyle. There are many pieces that need to be in place in order for the hooves to be healthy. Take just one piece out, and the more likely that barefoot just won’t seem to ‘work’ for your horse.

Here are a few reasons why (it) doesn’t work for horses: ….. ” Intrigued? Follow the link and read on!